May 2016 Voice of the Spirit

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

www.kofcohio.org

Brother Knights, A little about membership…

We are back on top! We are off and running again in new members. We finished April with an intake of 251 members for an 11.11% intake. We finished 1st place for the month in Division 1 edging out Pennsylvania on the last day by 0.03% (1 member). To date we stand at 85.47% of our Supreme Council membership requirements leaving us with just 327 more to hit our gross intake quota. We rank 23rd of the 74 K of C Jurisdictions worldwide and we rank 2nd among the Division 1 State Councils still slightly behind Florida.

MAY 2016

Monthly Publication of the Ohio State Council

out of state transfers) and we are beginning to show new growth in Ohio.

This places us 2nd in the Order slightly behind Louisiana (33 members). With the good recruiting months we have had Ohio is over the 58,000 member mark.

Today we stand at 58084 members strong. Thank you to everyone who is working to make this happen.

Grand Knights and Membership Directors please keep membership the foremost priority in every one of your councils throughout this great state of Ohio. We have begun to show an increase in the number of councils recruiting and bringing in new members. To date about 85% of the Council's around the state have recruited a new membership and The best news is that we are continuing to grow. I don’t like to get too far ahead of are working to place Ohio in the Circle of myself but we are at +346 Net/Net (intake Honor. If the State of Ohio is to improve less suspensions, withdraws, deaths, and our membership status and grow as a jurisdiction we need the other 15% or

roughly 70 councils to step up and begin recruiting. A new member from each of those councils would make a significant impact on our bottom line today. We are all on the same team and all in the game together. I need a firm commitment from all involved to make this happen.

We are again looking for some opportunities again in May. There are still a lot of prospective members just waiting to be asked or need to be contacted.

Inspector Membership has some incentives in April for Councils that bring back into the Order three reactivated members.

There is no rumor anymore. The State Deputy and Inspector Membership have issued an additional three month Membership Program Contest for March, April, and May. Many of you have seen it on the Super Cash Bonanza Road Show Meetings. It’s called “The Land of 1,000 Members”. Watch us on Facebook or get signed up for our social media blitz for this new membership incentive.

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CHARITY - UNITY - FRATERNITY PATRIOTISM 1

Please post all (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) degrees on the State Website. The degree Supreme Council has announced the posting page should be overflowing with requirements for earning VIP Bonus scheduled degrees. There should be a Points for the second half of the Fraternal minimum of 80 1st Degrees per month Year. See your Grand Knight, District posted on the State Website. District Deputy, or State Membership Director Deputies you need to post degree work in Nick Gresko for details. your district. If you schedule them they will come. If you post them others can Supreme Knight Carl Anderson by a see them and they will come too. unanimous vote of approval from the State Deputies gathered in San Antonio District Deputies and Grand Knights approved the Supreme Per Capita Star please continue to file the Degree Council Incentive Plan for another year.

Exemplification Report Form 450 and Achieve Star Council status at your Form 450C. This form enables the State council and be exempt from Supreme Per Council to track a new members progress Capita payments for one year. throughout Ohio and insure that new member has been recorded and credited Growth in new membership brings new for your council at Supreme Council.

Brother Knights, new ideas, and new energy into your councils. Please get on Please continue to remind your track with your councils membership candidates about the proper attire when program and sign up a new member they come to take any of the degrees. A today. If you haven’t brought in a new candidate in t-shirts and shorts is just not member this year please take a moment an acceptable dress for a candidate and ask yourself why. making a degree. They should be dressed at the very minimum some type Congratulations to the March of Dockers or dress pants and a polo shirt Membership Contest winners and all who or dress shirt. brought in a new member that month.

Contest winners should be listed in State Again more Squires Congratulations...

Membership Director Nick Gresko’s The Squires continue to gain in column. membership throughout Ohio and are ranked second in the Order. They are 3rd New Council Development… stateside with a 72 member intake and a Rumor has it that State Warden Larry net intake of 62 new members. Great Job “Grass Hopper” Droesch and his Squires!

Diocesan Team are about ready to file paperwork for a new council in the Circle of Mary…

Archdiocese; as Brother Droesch says Marysville Council #5534 will invest a “Woo Hoo”.

“Circle of Mary” for young women at their council this coming May 15th.

Just in case you’re wondering…we’re not Congratulations to those Brother Knights done yet. and District Deputy #49 Duane Lord in making this possible for the young Some thoughts on degree work…and women of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. its working!

Please continue to Supreme Council Icon Program… schedule frequent The Holy Family Icons are now circulating degrees. Our and we have begun the Icon Tour requirement is one through Ohio. Hopefully the four icons will Admission (1st) Degree circulate through the State of Ohio as per District per month, planned. statewide. I see the results of these frequent degrees already Look further to paying off in our membership numbers. the State Website Every District Deputy is required to for the schedule schedule and conduct an Admissions (1st) and when the Degree in his district every month. Today icon will come to Ohio scheduled for April. I don’t believe your district. there are enough posted to handle the Please take full expected new membership load across advantage of this the state. Plan out your degree schedule, prayerful the candidates will come. opportunity within your council and parishes.

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State Council Financials…

State Secretary Brother Kevin Miller, State Treasurer Robert Byers, and myself are working on preparing the State Council Financials for audit by Blue & Company, LLC to be ready for the State Convention. All financial materials have been sent to the auditing firm and are being reviewed by them.

Paperwork and more paperwork…

We are just a little behind in filing some of the Supreme Council paperwork. To date 39 Councils have yet to file Report of Officers Form 185. This was due last summer right after your council elections.

The Report of Service Personnel Form 365 was also due at this time. To date there are 53 Council who have yet to file that report. The Fraternal Survey Form 1728 was due the end of January and 45 Councils are now late in filing this report.

The Council Audit Form 1295 for the 2nd half of the Fraternal Year is now overdue to Supreme Council.

The six Diocesan Coordinators along with the District Deputies have been instructed to clean up this backlog of paperwork by months end. Please make every effort to work with these Brother Knights and assist them in completing this task.

“Town Hall” Meetings…

The State Deputy “Town Hall” meetings are over for this fraternal year. These meeting have proven to be a great place to learn about the working of our Order, Church Drives, programming and membership recruiting.

Look for another round of “Town Hall” meetings statewide to begin this August in the Steubenville Diocese shortly after we return from the Supreme Convention.

Special Lapel Pin… I have been working with Vice Supreme Master Donald Hall to produce a special lapel pin for any 4th Degree member who brings in a new member and get him through his first 3 degrees. Our 4th Degree Sir Knights are always looking for ways to increase not only their membership but the State Councils as well. The final details of the pin have been finalized and are in production. It is an attractive pin that I believe any Brother Knight would be proud to wear. Look for a (Continued on page 3)

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form here in the “Voice of the Spirit” that will enable to you obtain this pin provided the requirements have been met.

WWW.KOFCOHIO.ORG The State Website is up and running for the five General Program grading periods. Yes we have had some web issues but to my knowledge they are minimal. All problems to my knowledge have been worked out with Webmaster Brother Gilliland on a person to person basis. Remember our website is still a bit new and not everything it is capable of doing is in place.

With this said and confident in the working of the Website thus far Brother Gilliland has given District Deputies the ability to view all of their respective councils programming. Brother Gilliland is also working on the State Chaplain’s Page, the State Deputy’s Page, links to video productions on the Supreme Website, State Council Website tutorials, and better information to our Membership Inquiry Page.

We have added the ability of the District

Deputies and Grand Knights to use a fillable 450 and 450C Degree Report Form on the Website. Filing of this form on the State Website will generate a copy to the Supreme Council, State Membership Director Nick Gresko, and to me. Look for this form under the “Forms Tab” at the top of the Website page. If this proves successful and reliable it is just a precursor to a fillable From 185 and Form 365 this June.

Look for a more complete and informed website in the months ahead. I will be personally meeting with Webmaster Gilliland to go over every aspect of the site to see where we can make an improvement. If you have any issues please address them to me and I'll get with you and Brother Bob to get them resolved.

Super Cash Bonanza…

The 2016 Super Cash Bonanza Campaign is underway. State Treasurer “Farmer Bob” Bob Byers and his “Road Show” Team did a great job of presenting the campaign to the membership. Nearly 110,000 tickets were sold in the 1st phase of the campaign. Look for more in the State Treasurer’s article.

Insurance Corner

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The Knights of Columbus has been recognized as a 2016 World’s Most Ethical Company® by the Ethisphere® Institute, for the third consecutive year.

One of only two in the life insurance category, underscoring the Knights’ commitment to leading ethical business standards and practices.

The recognition is awarded based on a company’s performance in five key areas: ethics and compliance program; reputation, leadership and innovation; governance; corporate citizenship and responsibility; and culture of ethics.

The 117th State Convention will take place the weekend of May 20, 21 and 22 a week prior to Memorial Day weekend at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky, Ohio. Please take the time to read and look through the information provided to you in the first two mailings. Many of the enclosures are date sensitive.

In closing…

May God continue to Bless you as you continue to the work you do in Jesus name. Dedicate everything you do for Him to the honor and glory of God and see what changes it will make in your life.

Bob Collins State Deputy

Patrick Murphy, FIC General Agent K of C 8857 Cincinnati Dayton Rd. Suite 3 West Chester, OH 45069 Phone: 513-847-1306 Cell: 513-284-6911 Email: patrick.murphy@kofc.org

Patrick Murphy Knights of Columbus Named a 2016 World’s Most Ethical Company

State Convention 2016…

Grand Knights and State personnel the 117th Annual Ohio State Council State Convention is just around the corner. All of the arrangements are being finalized.

The Cleveland Convention team is hard at work to make sure everything comes off just right and everyone has a great time at the convention.

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This is something we can all be proud of.

This is something that makes us different.

Our Ethical commitment impacts all areas of our business.

Ethical Selling  We agents are held to high ethical standards.  We sign a Code of Ethics which commits us to putting our members first, and to make sure they have all the necessary information to enable them to make an informed decision.

Ethical Business  As indicated by the “World’s Most Ethical” award, we are

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committed to ethical business practices.  We believe these have helped us become and remain successful.

Ethical Investing  Catholic-based investment strategy that prevents us from investing in companies that participate in lines of business that run contrary to Church teaching.

We are honored that the Ethisphere Institute has yet again acknowledged our ethical commitment. It is what makes doing business with the Knights of Columbus truly different.

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Reflections from State Chaplain Father Edward Janoch, State Chaplain

Mary, most holy, Ora pro nobis! [Pray for Us!] Theotokos, [Mother of God] Hear our Prayer, Ever-Virgin, Regina Caeli [Queen of Heaven] How do we honor the Mother of God in this month of May? Every culture influence by the Catholic Church has some tradition or ritual to remember the Mother of God. Even secular cultures and civil entities remember mothers with a day in honor of them. Here in the United States we have May Crownings, Living Rosaries, Masses and Holy Hours to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Order—by 1700 it took hold among their students at the Roman College and a bit later it was publicly practiced in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the whole Church.

this practice.

Many churches have a daily recitation of the Rosary in public or some other prayers in honor of Mary, including the crowning of our Lady’s statue. For private use, one can follow the format of a Liturgy of the Word: entrance chant, opening prayer, Scripture reading, and brief reflection or homily, with a concluding prayer of invocation.

The only necessary element is that Mary be honored in a special way.

Lang, OFM, Rev. Jovian P., Dictionary of the Liturgy, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1989, pp 420-421.

The practice was granted a partial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary indulgence by Ven. Pius IX in 1859. With the complete revision of indulgences in 1966 and the decreased emphasis on specific indulgences, it no longer carries an indulgence; however, it certainly falls within the category of the First General Grant of Indulgences.

What are our councils doing to remember Our Lady during this month dedicated to her? I hope that councils are planning, if not already, to be reciting the Rosary The Dictionary of the Liturgy entry for either before or after Sunday and/or Daily “May, Month of Mary” says: Masses. I hope that councils are being asked to be honor guards for parish May he month of May is the “month that the Crownings. I hope that the Supreme piety of the faithful has especially Council’s Building the Domestic Church is dedicated to our Blessed Lady,” and it is This pious practice has been especially being utilized to help our families to be the occasion for a “moving tribute of faith recommended by the Popes. Ven. Pius Holy Families like Jesus, Mary, and and love that Catholics in every part of XII made frequent references to it and in Joseph. I hope that councils are honoring the world pay to the Queen of Heaven. his great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy mothers, grandmother, godmothers and During this month Christians, both in (Mediatior Dei) characterized it as one of all those who have acted like mothers to church and in the privacy of the home, the “other exercises of piety that although us, on Sunday, 8 May 2016. I hope that offer up to Mary from their hearts an not strictly belonging to the Sacred all Knights are having some private family especially fervent and loving homage of Liturgy are nevertheless of special import rituals dealing with honoring the Blessed prayer and veneration. In this month, too, and dignity and may be considered in a Virgin Mary during the month of May. I certain way to be an addition to the the benefits of God’s mercy come down hope that councils will recite the Rosary to us from her throne in greater liturgical cult: they have been approved on Sunday, 29 May 2016, as part of the abundance” (Bl. Paul VI: Encyclical on and praised over and over again by the Supreme Council’s Fifth Sunday of the the Month of May – Mense Maio, #1).

Apostolic See and by the Bishops Month Rosary. This day also happens to be The Solemnity of the Body and Blood This Christian custom of dedicating the In his encyclical, Bl. Paul VI used the of Christ, so many councils will be month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose Month of Mary devotion as a means of participating in Corpus Christi at the end of the 13th century. In this way, obtaining prayers for peace. He urged Processions. The activities are endless the Church was able to Christianize the the faithful to make use of this practice that councils can do to honor the Blessed secular feasts that were wont to take which is “gladdening and consoling” and Virgin Mary. place at that time. In the 16th century, by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us books appeared and fostered this honored and the Christian people are devotion. enriched with spiritual gifts.” (Mense sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Maio, #2).

Amen.”

The practice became especially popular among the members of the Jesuit There are no official prayers or rites for Vivat Jesus!

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Saint of the Month St. Bernardine of Siena May 20th “Every Grace granted to man has three degrees in order; for by God it is communicated to Christ, from Christ it passes to the Virgin, and from the Virgin it descends to us.�

- St. Bernardine of Siena In the year 1400, a young man came to the door of the largest hospital in Siena.

A plague was raging through t he city so horrible that as many as twenty people died each day just in the hospital alone. And many of the people who died were those who were needed to tend the ill. It was a desperate situation -- more and more people were falling ill and fewer and fewer people were there to help them.

uncomfortable but apparently one adult citizen thought it would be a great joke to needle Bernardine. In a public marketplace he stopped Bernardine and started to talk to him in a shameful way.

But if he had thought to get away with his cruel trick, he was surprised when Bernardine slapped him in the face. The man slunk away, shamed in front of the very crowd he'd been trying to impress.

Bernardine, who had come to Siena to study, threw himself into prayer and fasting to discover what God wanted him to do. One might have expected him to continue his work with the sick but in

Thus began the missionary life of the one whom Pope Pius II called a second Paul.

As usual, Bernardine through his whole self, body and soul, into his new career.

He crisscrossed Italy on foot, preaching for hours at a time, several times a day.

We are told he preached on punishment for sin as well as reward for virtue but focusing in the end on the mercy of Jesus and the love of Mary. His special devotion was to the Holy Name of Jesus.

Some who were jealous denounced him to the pope by saying he preached superstition.

Silenced for a short while, Bernardine was soon cleared and back to preaching.

The twenty-year-old man who stood there had not come because he was ill but because he wanted to help. And he brought not new patients but young men like himself willing to tend the dying. For four months Bernardine and his companions worked day and night not only to comfort the patients but to organize and clean the hospital.

Only at the end of the plague did Bernardine himself fall ill -- of exhaustion.

But that was Bernardine's way -whatever he did, he put his whole self into it. Immediately after he recovered he was back caring for the sick -- but this time, he was responsible not for a whole hospital but one person -- an invalid aunt. Yet for fourteen months she got his full attention.

Throughout his life, he put as much energy into caring for one person as for hundreds, as much commitment into converting one citizen as to preaching to a whole city.

on a mission. When he got up to preach his voice was strong and commanding and his words so convincing that the crowd would not let him leave unless he promised to come back.

Bernardine refused several cities that wanted him as bishop but he was unable to avoid being named vicar general of his order. All his energy during that period went to renewing the original spirit of the order.

Soon, however, Bernardine heard the call to go back to preaching which consumed his last days. As a matter of fact, even when it was clear he was dying, he preached fifty consecutive days. He died in 1444 when he was almost 64 years old.

1403 he joined the Franciscans and in 1404 he was ordained a priest.

Prayer: Saint Bernardine of Siena, words were very important to you. You spent most of your life speaking the golden words of Jesus' mercy and his Holy Name. And you abhorred words that were shameful. Pray for us that we may always choose to speak Jesus' name with reverence and choose words of love over words of shame.

Amen

The Franciscans were known as missionary preachers, but Bernardine did catholic.org After his aunt died, Bernardine started to very little preaching with because of a voice that was weak and hoarse. For think about where his life should be going. The son of a noble family, he had twelve years he remained in the been orphaned at seven and raised by an background, his energies going to prayer aunt. We are told as a young person that or to his own spiritual conversion and preparation. he hated indecent talk so much that he would blush when he heard it. Even his At the end of that time, he went to Milan schoolmates hesitated to make him so

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Membership Nick Gresko, State Membership Director Can You Smell Circle of Honor We are at the home stretch of this fraternal year. Once this article comes out we will have a little under 2 months left in this fraternal year ending June 30, 2016 to achieve Circle of Honor as a State with the 10% bonus, the highest honor a State Council can get from Supreme Council. We need to bring in 577 members before June 30th to accomplish this. We are right where we need to be and it has been 7 years since we have achieved this award under past State Deputy Larry Moegling in the 2008 -2009 Fraternal Year. Let’s break this 7 year drought and make this happen this year!!! Below I’m going to focus on nonrecruiting councils, Land of 100 Members, Star Council requirements, where each council is at and the Form 450C, Form 450 and Form 100’s Cincinnati (6 of 82) - 7.32% Mike Felerski - DMRD Larry Droesch – State Warden Mother Seton Msgr. Kuenle Lasalle A.J. Schulte St. Lawrence - Price Hill Msgr. Robert J. Von Kaenel

Columbus (7 of 71) - 9.86% George Jones- DMRD Kevin Miller- State Secretary 3376 5239 5621 6144 14545 15424

Steubenville (9 of 26) - 34.62% Tom Offenberger- DMRD Bob Byers- State Treasurer Bellaire Fr. Frank Patala Toronto Saint. Anthony Saint Catherine Saint Mary's Pieta Saint Gabriel Our Lady of Carroll County

numbers as a state would look like. A lot of times getting that first member in is all I need HELP From Nonyou need to get a few more especially if Recruiting Councils you promote the Shining Armor Award.

There is still 62 councils that have done This encourages the new members to the same thing month after month since bring in a new member and if you make a big deal at your council about it trust July 1st. Do you know what the same me the new members will come!!! . I’m thing they have done? If you said they hoping that we can have this list down to have not recruited a new member yet st you would be 100% correct. Our Worthy less than 30 by June 1 . Below you will State Deputy and I need these councils find all of the Councils that have not recruited a new member as of 5/1/2016 . to jump on board and bring in a new member. If they did just think what our

Columbus Discovery Ascension Fr Holtzapfel Saint Elizabeth Saint Leonard Holy Trinity

Cleveland (13 of 72) - 18.10% Jerry Nowesnick- DMRD Bob Collins- State Deputy 400 1341 4324 10284 11193 12641 13081

Toledo (12 of 69) - 17.39% Jim Collins-DMRD Mark Siracusa- State Advocate 1246 1716 2187 2262 4590 5174 5583 11380 15401

Fremont Saint John Neuman Fostoria Port Clinton Bryan Msgr. Leo W Frye Sacred Heart Montpelier Sacred Heart Saint Anthony Saint Jerome’s Saint Clement Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Cathedral

Painesville Lakewood Newburgh Bishop Hagan Southeast Fr. Mahon Saint Pius X Medina Magnificat John F Kennedy Fr. Mitchell Cieslik Fr. Maruskin St. Cyprian

947 2643 2816 3126 3222 3541 3822 4168 4498 5506 8369 10936 14714

Youngstown (15 of 58) - 25.86% Mike Jordan- DMRD Ken Girt-State Deputy 591 1117 1197 1750 1915 2642 2850 5226 10299 11450 13636 16264

Canton Wellsville Carroll Warren Conneaut Louisville Newton Falls Mantua Fr. Lambert J Andrews Msgr. Lavelle Fr. Coan Saint Peter's Saint Dominic Fenwick OLPH Aurora St. James

341 507 509 620 627 2530 3350 3766 4433 4571 4658 5173 13586 14186 14491

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4 MORES: MORE Knights bring MORE hands & hearts, to raise MORE funds and to evangelize, doing GOD’S good works helping MORE people in need!

Land of 1,000 Members May is our final month of the Land of 1000 Members membership Drive. There is not a better time than now to bring in a new members because recruiters and councils all can bring in some serious cash. The state could give out $10,000 + at the end of May. This could be some great extra cash to spend on vacation or make a home improvement that you have been putting off and how your diocese and Council are doing with one month down in the Land of 1000 Members DIOCESE Cincinnati Cleveland

2/29/2016 361 319

5/2/2016 497 422

Totals 136 103

Goal 264 177

Pct 52% 58%

Columbus

282

381

99

183

54%

Steubenville

56

79

23

47

49%

Toledo Youngstown

268 115

394 142

126 27

215 114

59% 24%

Grand Total

1401

1915

514

1000

51%

Form 100’s Within 3-7 days of a degree any Form 100’s should be emailed to the Supreme Council at membership@kofc.org or to membershiprecords@kofc.org Supreme is able to process the Form 100 much quicker this way and you have a receipt that they were sent in your sent mail. Plus this saves your council the cost of a stamp every time new members are brought in. Also, please make sure that every part of this Form 100 is filled out or the Form 100 will not be processed. Just this month we had over 25 Form 100’s that were processed extremely late because of this. We can’t afford for this to happen in these last three months when we are trying to achieve Circle of Honor!!!

Star Council Requirements and How is Your Council Doing The Star Council Award is Comprised of the following 6 items: 1. Father McGivney Award for membership growth by June 30th Founders’ Award for insurance growth by June 30th 2. Columbian Award Report Form #SP7 for well-rounded council service programs and activities by June 30th 3. Your council must submit the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728) by January 31st If not done still turn in and it will count.

4. The Service Program Personnel Report (#365) by August 1st If not done still turn in and it will count.

5. Remain in good standing with Supreme Council assessments paid by June 30th Only requirements numbers 4 and 5 can be turned in late to Achieve Star Council. The other ones must be done on the date given or earlier.

How is Your Council Doing? See the list on the next page.

STATEWIDE TOTALS 62 OF 375 COUNCILS NOT RECRUITING

Form 450 and Form 450C is like GOLD!!!

District Deputies please make sure within 3-7 days of holding a degree in your District the Form 450 is turned in.

Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries the Form 450C should be sent in within 3-7 days of doing a degree. This is extremely important because this allows us to track if Supreme actually processed your Form 100’s! If you took the time to bring in a new member the State Membership Team wants to make sure you get credit for your hard work and effort.

These should be filled on line now at the State Website and then it automatically sends it to who it needs to go to. Take advantage of this!!!

16.53% 7

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9

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For some reason, Supreme is NOT updating the lists of councils missing the 1728 and 365. If your council is close to achieving Star Council, PLEASE verfiy that you have submitted your 1728 and 365.

Please have your copies handy in case our state deputy has to consult with Supreme.

COUNCILS NOT SUBMITTING ANNUAL SURVEY OF FRATERNAL ACTIVITY Form 1728: 00360 00400 00620 01272 01411 01747 02661 03891 04498 04533 04590 04658 05621 11354 11828 12756 13081 13379 13586 13636 14342 14491 14545 15036 COUNCILS NOT SUBMITTING SERVICE PROGRAM PERSONNEL REPORT Form 365: 00360 00400 00620 00627 01117 01716 01991 02050 02072 02935 03350 03564 03737 03891 04049 04169 04180 04224 04433 04437 04558 04590 04658 04790 05371 05483 05621 05674 05764 05834 06426 08064 09804 10149 10299 11150 11369 11551 11626 11649 11650 11915 12310 12539 13081 13289 13614 14342 14545 14603 15573

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Retention Mike Jordon (East) / Bill Wirtz (West)

Some of our tasks, as part of the State Retention Team, include conservation efforts of members in the process of either suspension or withdrawal. These are two “critical periods” that have new applicable conservation procedures put into effect on 1 July 2015, the beginning of this fraternal year. The State Retention Team has embraced the new procedures and doing our best to apply them.

Team as we work through our new conservation procedures. We know you have done your best to retain our members, but Supreme has afforded us one more opportunity to share the love.

We also want to recommend the councils get way out in front of Retention by contacting every member of your council on a regular basis. Please don’t wait till some are two years behind in their dues.

Brothers, let us start by saying, “We love Consequently, the actions of the State Call them several times a year and let you.” As Knights this is our goal every Retention Team are meant to complethem know they are needed and imday and the very reason we do what we ment the efforts of the Financial Secreportant to the mission of the Knights of do. Love is sharing our faith and putting taries, council Retention Teams, and the Columbus. They joined the Knights to it into practice. The Knights of ColumDistrict Deputies. Councils need to make a difference, so let them. bus enable we men of faith to pool our know we will never work against estabresources within an infrastructure devel- lished processes, and that the new pro- Please allow the Holy Spirit to fill our oped to be flexible and efficient, and to cedures do not replace what the council hearts with the love needed to guide our encourage participation of all members. and DDs are currently responsible for. actions and complete our mission. For Therefore, Retention of all members is questions and assistance please don’t essential to sharing that love.

We ask the councils to be patient and hesitate to contact your Ohio State communicate openly with the State Council Retention Directors.

Retention Has Its’ Basis in Love

Membership Mission #11 The world is resplendent with Spring's increased light and new growth. It is Mary’s month in the Easter season and all of nature rejoices with the Queen of heaven at the Resurrection of the Son she was worthy to bear. During the remainder of Easter time, let us endeavor through the prayers of the Holy Liturgy and the Holy Rosary to deepen our gratitude for the mystery of our Baptismal rebirth in Christ.

We know that Mary and her Knights are unstoppable. We learned that early. We know she is to be honored and adored. Let us honor her this month in a very special way.

Let us calling on our Eternal Mother to help us in leading more men and families to Her and Her Divine Son, Jesus. Let the cry of "Hail Mary" ever be on our lips and hearts as we ask for Her blessed intercessions for our families, councils and world.

Click the logo to see the May video!

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General Programs Bob Walsh, General Program Director I would like to thank the Brother Knights from this great State that read the “Through him, With Him, In Him” Program and maxed out the program. We did have 218 Councils report at least one program.

In May is the election of Officers, a good way to learn the chair is to start with being a Program Director at the Council, consider helping out your new Officers by volunteering to be a Director.

Remember to submit your form #185 report of Council Officers, and #365 Service Program Personnel Report.

Have you been working on your SP7 application for the Columbian Award? If you have completed the application send it to Supreme right away, but no later than June 6th. Also double check on your Star Council requirements to make sure they have been met. Please check with Supreme to make sure that they have received both applications.

I will be looking forward to seeing you at the State Convention.

Come and enjoy the Friday Night Party, and remember our Fallen Brothers at Mass on Saturday.

Church Jeff Kiliany The deadline for submitting In Memoriam submissions from councils who had deceased members has passed. Thank you to all the councils who took the time to send me your deceased members from this past year. They will be remembered at our “In Memoriam” Mass at the State Convention Saturday morning May 21, 2016.

Now that this year’s State Program has been completed, it doesn’t mean that your council should stop doing activities until next Fraternal year. There are many activities that council members can be involved in over these next couple of months. June and July are always busy times for Picnics and Festivals.

A Supreme Council suggested Church activity for the month of June is “FATHER'S DAY RENEWAL OF WEDDING VOWS”. Father’s Day is an important time to celebrate the role of fatherhood within the Christian family and is the ideal day to host a Renewal of Wedding Vows. Annually sponsoring this event on the third Sunday of June will serve to make your council visible to the parish community and show your member’s support for all fathers and husbands.

During these events, Knights and their wives — along with all the married couples of the parish — have an opportunity to renew their commitment to their wedding vows. After the event, councils should host a reception where they can congratulate each couple and thank them for their witness.

Many councils will be hosting the Silver Rose or the Holy Family Icon over the next several weeks. Here are some suggestions from Supreme Council to help your council in planning your council’s participation in the Holy Family Prayer Program.

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Once you find out from your jurisdiction’s Marian Prayer Program chairman when your council is scheduled to receive the image, consult your chaplain and/or pastor about the service and set a location for the prayer service to be held.

Identify council members and clergy to fulfill the various roles called for in the prayer program.

Representatives of your council should attend the service at the council from whom you will receive the image and bring the image to your council.

Instruct the congregation to say the prayers at a moderate pace to ensure the service is truly reverent.

If possible, the choir leader should review the hymns with the congregation before the service.

Collect prayer books after the service to be sent along with the image to the next council.

No money should be collected nor should any social activity be held in conjunction with the service.

The grand knight should record the council’s program in the log book that accompanies the image before sending it on to the next council.

Additional copies of the prayer books and prayer cards used in the program can be ordered from the Supreme Council Fraternal Services Department.

Finally, we want to be sure that your council has 4 qualifying Church activities to list on your Supreme Columbian Award Form #SP7 which will go towards achieving Star Council.

You may use the same activities that you reported on your State “Through Him, With Him, and In Him” Program, but they must reported again to Supreme Council. Please call or e-mail with any questions. I will be happy to assist you and your council.

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Culture of Life Gary Anderson The following is from KofC.org: On Thursday, April 28, 2016, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson spoke at the United Nations as part of a panel discussion sponsored by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See. The panel discussion focused on human rights abuses and the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East and throughout the world.

Other speakers at the session included Father Douglas al Bazi, missionary Sister Maria de Guadalupe and Melkite Catholic Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart of Aleppo, Syria. Archbishop Jeanbart will speak on the genocide being waged against his people and the future of Christianity in the Middle East on Sunday, May 1, at St. Mary’s Church, 5 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, Conn.

For more information visit the Christians at Risk web site.

The panelists united with the supreme knight in sharing their powerful testimonies and insights of personal experiences relating to the atrocities that have occurred in the Middle East. Now that genocide has been officially declared by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and world organizations as a result of such documentation as the nearly 300 -page report produced by the Knights of Columbus, an appeal to the international community for concrete actions needed to help persecuted Christians was echoed by panelists.

For the supreme knight’s complete speech at the United Nations, please click here.

Fortnight for Freedom 2016 From June 21 to July 4, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will host its annual Fortnight for Freedom under the theme “Witnesses to Freedom.” In support of this theme, the USCCB will highlight 14 men and women around the world who bear witness to authentic freedom in Christ.

we encourage your council to work with your pastors to be fully engaged in this special celebration. For suggestions on simple activities, please visit the USCCB’s Fortnight for Freedom website. Additionally, we encourage you to share the USCCB-produced 10minute video on the importance of religious liberty that is available on the website. This could be done at a council meeting or as part of a larger parish or community celebration of the fortnight.

You can also order Knights of Columbus religious freedom signs (13”x 20”) for use at any rallies or marches for religious freedom sponsored by your council or held in your area. The signs say “Respect Religious Freedom” (#10041) and “Defend the First Amendment” (#10042). Order online at Knights Gear or send a Supply Requisition (Form #1) by mail or fax (1-800-266-6340) to the Supply Department. The cost is $10 per 100 signs, which includes shipping and handling. Completion of this activity would satisfy Culture of Life Activity #46, Stand Up for Religious Freedom.

As faithful Catholic American citizens,

to the Supreme Report for all the activities your council has Tom Forsthoefel completed. If you are having trouble retrieving the report The end of the fraternal year is forms, contact your district coming up and it is time for the deputy and he can supply you councils to do a final “once with the forms. The deadline to over” on your councils activities the Supreme Office is June 30, for the year. So review if your 2016, so please don’t delay in council has completed all of its getting this report completed. activities for the following areas: Church, Community, Council, We have just started Culture of Life, Family and the month of May and your Youth. It is now time to council still has time to continue complete and submit your working on its membership as Columbian Award Application well. Growth of a council (SP7). depends on new members entering the councils with fresh The report can be found on the new ideas. Even if your council 2015 – 2016 Serge with Service was just started in the past Kit CD your council received at couple of years, keep working the beginning of the year from towards the goals of new the Supreme Office. It is a two membership in completing your page report that can be council activities. Let’s all finish completed fairly easy. Your the fraternal year of 2015 – council only has to list 4 items 2016 with a strong finish. I under each of the areas listed hope to see all of you at the above. Even if your council did upcoming State Convention in not submit these activities Sandusky, Ohio. throughout the year to the state website you can still add them

Community

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she Rest In Peace. Amen.

Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA 20 April 1923 + 27 March 2016

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You’re A Click Away—State Website Bob Gilliland Printing out the Council SP-7 Form!!!

This month, Councils can begin processing their Columbian award (SP-7) forms. The SP-7 form can be submitted online through the state website or printed out for mailing to Supreme Council, the State Deputy, the Council’s District Deputy, and a copy for the Council records. If submitted online, all of the above named recipient will receive an electronic copy of the SP-7 form. In either case, the SP-7 form will contain the selected Council program activities for the current fraternal year. The access to this form is available to Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries and allows the Council to select four (4) programs from each of the program categories (Church, Community, Council, Family, Culture of Life, and Youth).

Please feel free to email me at BobG@sceinet.com if you have any questions. Thank you.

Measure-Up Celebrates 40th Anniversary Goal is $425,000 Harding Christ & Larry Droesch Forty years ago an Ohio Knight of Columbus had the vision to help people with developmental disabilities.

He was the late Brother Knight Bob Sears, who would go on to be elected State Deputy of the Ohio State Council.

His dream was the Measure-Up Campaign, which has become Ohio’s “flagship” project.

This year’s goal is to raise more than $425,000 for distribution to agencies which assist our special citizens with developmental disabilities, said State Warden Larry Droesch, the 2016-2017 Measure-Up chairman. In addition, he’s looking for participation from at least 75% of Ohio’s councils.

exceed our goal and honor the dream of PSD Bob Sears! Extra fundraisers and collections (i.e. pass the hat at a meeting) in this last month are encouraged for councils to meet this special effort.

The 2016 Measure-Up Campaign will officially be conducted on the weekends of April 29-May 1 and May 5-8, but can include other fundraising dates.

be returned to the councils for their charitable contributions to agencies of their choosing. The other 20% is distributed by the Knights’ Ohio Charity Foundation to statewide agencies which assist those with developmental disabilities, and for the purchase of those special rulers which are given to the councils.

Special recognition will be given to councils that excel in the campaign: Measure-Up is a charity whereby Knights  Highest total dollars collected by a are asked to put on those bright yellow council. and red vests and stand on street  Highest total dollars collected per corners – or wherever – holding special member by a council. containers and seeking contributions  Highest total dollars collected by a from the general public. In turn, Knights council in each state program give a special ruler to those who division. contribute. Droesch also encourages  Highest total dollars collected per councils to conduct other fundraisers and member by a council in each do such things as receive permission, for division. instance, from pastors to solicit  All councils collecting a 25% collections after Masses. increase over their 2015 collection total.

Councils are asked to send one check with their total collections, making it Complete information and special forms payable to Knights of Columbus Ohio are included in the 2016 Measure-Up State Council and mailing it to: Larry booklet which has been distributed to Droesch, 1758 Prairie Rd., Wilmington, Grand Knights and is on the State OH 45177.

Website.

Because of the 40th Anniversary, a special effort is asked of each council: GIVE $40 X 4 (= $163) more, over what Eighty per cent of the collected funds will you gave last year! This will help us

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